Customer Reviews

Labour of Love

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Out of all three albums in UB40s' Labour Of Love series this very first one is most defintley the very best with a complete run of classic sounding reggae tracks. RED RED WINE is perharps the most instantly memroable song on the album but running closley behind that is the excellent JOHNNY TOO BAD. That song has to be one of the very best in their career to date. A real gem! Ali Campells vocals are crystal clear and strong on every track and the highlights also include MANY RIVERS TO CROSS, SWEET SENSATION, PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME CRY and SHE CAUGHT THE TRAIN. Possibly the greatest album of their career to date. Its certainly a delight to listen to. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Back in 1983 when this came out I was 8 years old. I went to the store with my Dad and he let me pick out three albums (all on vinyl), and one of those was this album. There's something about this album that just picks me up when I'm down. Anytime I'm stressed or anything I can put this on and it'll have this "cheering up" effect on me.

Now, the big knock on this is it's simply an album of cover songs. Songs that were made famous by other people. This IS true, however I think that simply relegating this into a category of "covers" is really doing the album a disservice.

Yes, it's covers, but we've all heard cover songs of famous songs that were horrible. That you wouldn't listen to more than once. This is not an album like that.

Featuring mostly reggae classics such as "Many Rivers to Cross" by Jimmy Cliff, "Cherry Oh Baby" by Eric Donaldson, and of course their smash hit, their version of "Red Red Wine" originally by Neil Diamond.

One of the standout tracks, however, is a song called "Guilty" a reggae track originally by Tiger, which details the singer's feelings of guilt as it pertains to a failed relationship.

In 1989, Rolling Stone released their list of the top 100 albums of the entire decade of the 80's, and this album clocked in at #98.

I knock a star off because, as I said, this IS an album of cover songs, and there were no original music by the band, however it's impossible for me to take any more off, and there's very little to find fault with in this album.

A near perfect masterpiece from this UK band. Buy with confidence

The negative reviewers have it all wrong. This LP is simply a collection of reggae covers by a bunch of guys who love reggae. The songs are done enthusiastically and without any pretense. These songs derive from a time when reggae was dance music - before it was politicized. Enjoy it for what it is.

...This album is one of my favorites. So much so that I wore out my original vinyl. Before Punk had the stronghold in the 80's, a more subtle, accessible style emerged from Jamaica. It took hold in the UK. Bands such as The English Beat, The Clash, & The Police would take inspiration from this style and lead us years later to the alternative scene we take for granted today. The original release of this record is 8-10 years before RED RED WINE would find US radio rotation. UB40 compiles their strongest inspirations from Jamaica. This is the British homage to the Jamaican originals. This is a special record. Highly recommended.

I just downloaded this album and am having lots of fun listening to it. Although UB40 is doing covers, they sing with pure melodic voices giving it their distinctive sound. The reggae beat is perfect. Highly recommended.

CD came on time in good shape and ready to send off as a Christmas gift. Thank you

Yeah, it's fifty-fifty, but the better half of the album make it worth four stars. There is some of the pop b.s. that UB40 have been criticized for, but then there are tracks like "Keep On Moving", "Please Don't Make Me Cry" and "Sweet Sensation", which more than make up for the annoying tracks (Guilty and Version Girl). Besides, if you are a chick then you will like "Red Red Wine" also! I am not however, but the album is still worth having.

This album is truely a "Labour of love" , & is the first of the INCREDIBLE series! This album is truely a must for any reggae lover, this album is sensational!

One love, Jah Schreiber

This is the original and best Labour of Love. I like nearly every song on this album -- though "Johnny Too Bad" leaves something to be desired. UB40 takes their favorite reggae songs from other artists, and do them in style. (And yes, Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" WAS reggaefied by another artist before UB40 did it). A toe-tapping good time.

ALONG WITH STEEL PULSE'S TRUE DEMOCRACY & BLACK UHURU'S ANTHEM FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS ONE OF THE STELLAR RECORDINGS THAT REALLY HELPED TO KEEP REGGAE ALIVE IN THE EARLY YEARS AFTER MARLEY'S DEATH. UB40 ARE NOT A COVER/TRIBUTE BAND. THEY ARE DEDCATED REGGAE ARTISTS WHOSE TRUE PASSION IS ALL FOR REGGAE MUSIC. OUT OF 23 ALBUMS, ONLY 3 ARE ACTUAL COVERS. I HOPE REGGAE FANS WILL CHECK OUT THEIR NON LABOUR RECORDINGS. THIS ALBUM IS THE FIRST AND BEST OF THE LABOUR TRILOGY, PRESERVING THE ESSENCE OF THE PIONEERING ORIGINALS, BUT CREATING AN ORIGINAL VIBE ON THE SONGS THAT MAKE THIS ONE OF THE GREAT MUST-HAVE ALBUMS TO ANY REGGAE, OR GENERAL MUSIC COLLECTION.